The present invention relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, and in more detail, to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus whose structure is improved so as to prevent the generated airflow due to the running of a magnetic tape and rotation of a rotary head drum from passing between the rotary head drum and the magnetic tape, which magnetic tape travels in close contact with the rotary head drum.
Generally, in the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of a rotary head system, a rotary head drum 1 comprises a rotary drum 2 on which magnetic heads 4 and 4' are installed and a fixed drum 3 which is fixedly installed in the same axis with the rotary drum, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Also, flanking the rotary head drum, guiding rollers 5 and 5' which draw out a magnetic tape 6 from a tape cassette (not shown) are movably installed.
When the tape cassette is loaded in the magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus, magnetic tape 6 is drawn out from the tape cassette by guiding rollers 5 and 5', so as to be loaded toward rotary head drum 1. As described above, magnetic tape 6 is caused to travel by the pressure of a pinch-roller and a capstan motor axis (not shown) while in close contact with rotary head drum 1. Simultaneously, rotary head drum 1 is rotated at a constant speed with respect to the running speed of magnetic tape 6. At this time, magnetic heads 4 and 4' helically scan magnetic tape 6 so as to record or reproduce information.
Meanwhile, in such a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus of the rotary head system, since magnetic tape 6 has a large relative velocity to rotary drum 2 to accomplish recording and reproduction of high-density and high-accuracy, air turbulence is generated in the proximity of magnetic tape 6 and rotary drum 2 by the relative movement therebetween. Accordingly, as indicated by the dotted arrows of FIG. 2, air flows between magnetic tape 6 and rotary head drum 1. It should be noted that proper airflow facilitates tape travel and extends the life of the magnetic tape and magnetic heads. Meanwhile, if an overabundance of the above-described airflow is present by the high-speed running of magnetic tape 6 and high-speed rotation of rotary drum 2, the tape is lifted from the outer circumferential surface of rotary head drum 1 such that an oscillation in the tape is created, which increases tape jitter and in turn lowers the picture quality as output to a display screen.
More particularly, as the relative speed of magnetic tape 6 with respect to rotary drum 2 increases, the degree of lifting of the tape from the outer circumferential surface of rotary head drum 1 also increases. Accordingly, the reproduced signal quality is diminished further.